Adventure Week

In March, we experienced the "pre" adventure week. My grandson and I hiked, kayaked, and tested ourselves to make sure we were ready for this week in May. Now the big test.

I started this week with a solo kayak trip. When the two of us went in March, we went just over a mile. Today, I challenged myself to go two miles. It was an absolutely beautiful morning. No congestion at the launch beach. The water looked like glass, so smooth. 

That didn't last long. The wind came up and the waters became choppy. It was the first time I felt like I was going over rumble strips on the water. That made paddling a bit harder. The head winds were even more challenging. I felt like I was standing still in some areas, which shows up on the map. There is more red/slow on the route than usual.

Overall it was a great ride. I went further away from the beach area, accomplishing my goal of two miles. There is still a cove another half mile beyond where I went today that is on my bucket list. I might even venture out to other nearby lakes in the future. It is such a peaceful exercise. I didn't even listen to music today. Just the sounds of the water and nature.

Today went smoothly overall. In fact, I finished over an hour earlier than expected. That gives me encouragement that our hike later this week will also go well. I cannot wait.

How about kayaking?

Adventures continue. Before the next hike, let's try tandem kayaking. Two people/two paddles in one kayak requires some coordination. It starts with inflating the kayaking. Yes, we practiced at home the night before, both to learn how and to make sure the kayak was still airtight.  

Once inflated at the lake, we lugged the kayak to the shoreline and launched. It was a reasonably busy day on the lake. Spring break time so there were a few water lovers, paddlers and boaters on the lake. The birds and hikers were out, too. 

The challenge with tandem kayaking is synchronizing the paddles. We had a few clashes, and managed a little water splashing on  each other. That actually felt good on the warm day. 

Kayaking is not a fast voyage. It is a leisurely glide on the water. Not sure it was fast enough for the ambitious grandson. For this old gal, it is one of my favorite peaceful activities. My hope is to get a few hours alone on the water, enjoying the peace and restoration it provides.

Elvis & Kira

This week's adventures were about learning. The first stop was the Elvis Chapel and Superstition Mountain Museum. It was early morning and places weren't open. My objective was to see where they were located and determine if it would be worth a trip back with Papa to explore more? I think it would be worth a tour and learning about the area. It certainly is a photo op. This would be a beautiful picture with the Superstition Mountains in the background, especially when they're covered in spring blooms or winter snow.

After a quick stop, I proceeded to the day's destination, Saquaro Lake and another

All By Myself

We have established that Papa isn't a fan of kayaking, but I am. Now what? One option is to have friends go with me while Papa is off golfing with the guys. That's in the works. This last Tuesday, I decided to try a second option: going solo. It worked!

The kayak is 35 pounds before being inflated. The size of it inflated is what makes it unmanageable to carry alone from the parking lot to the water. I decided to inflate it on the shore. It worked! After the kayak was inflated, I put the pump inside a waterproof bag, and chucked

Out and About

 

Papa and I are in-between road trips so what to do? Well, golf is always an option but we're trying out new things too. Our second voyage on the kayak was one of those new things. After two tries, I personally love it; Papa, not so much. This try definitely went much smoother than the first. I think I enjoy the relaxing exercise aspect and peaceful nature time.

We went early on a Wednesday morning, so the beach was almost empty. We were much smoother/coordinated getting in-and-out of the kayak. Remembering to attach the fin underneath helped with navigating, along with configuring the paddles correctly. For a while, we had a smooth cruise going. We were able to do a couple laps around the marina area, spending almost an hour gliding the water. It was fun listening to the various birds, the occasional motor boat in the distance, seeing fisherman and hikers doing their thing. Slowly the beach filled in with mothers and children and various sun seekers.

Of course, I had to "up" things for us a bit by strapping a waterproof bluetooth speaker onto my seat. A little smooth jazz instrumental music aided in creating a relaxing cruise. I will

Bon Voyage

 

This inflatable kayak has been w a i t i n g  for its maiden voyage. Months ago we purchased it, inflated it in our living room to make sure it held air/no leaks. We were not brave enough, however, to endure the cool, winter lake water and actually try it out. When the weather did warm up, we were gone. This week, we finally loaded it up in the car and headed to the lake. The kayak, yet to be named, met the water at last.

This maiden voyage was very short. It was primarily to determine

Torch Lake-Traverse City

Weather was absolutely perfect for kayaking on Torch Lake in Rapid City just east of Traverse City. The lake was beautiful. We had a clear kayak allowing us to see down to the bottom of the crystal clear lake. It was a Sunday afternoon with many people enjoying the series of lakes connected by rivers. Boats would come and leave Torch Lake through the river channel and, like a pedestrian crossing a street, Papa and I would quickly “walk” our kayak across their path between boats.